Show Frances France's Debt Position I 1 MIGHT have been expected the Q e emphatic ph tic j declaration by M M. M French minister f df f e devastated regions that France can never y the loan of about made madem Jr m the thC United states I government during the I cs s SS of f the W World War promptly r has been met fth th the statement t that M M. louch urs ur's utterance was S 'S strictly a private one and must not be coni con con- J i ered as voicing ng the s sentiment of the French b th there re can be no doubt that France it n. n nd d' d vit with ith 1 war debts many times those of any zious ti time e in the history of that country and JIt addition having spent billions of francs in th the therk work rk of reconstruction of the ravaged pro province and n. n with such work possibly less than half come com earn com e would have welcomed the adoption by th the United States of the suggestion that came first firs l Eui Europe pe that the war debts b be cancelled jl ii However it could riot be conceived that that tha FI Frince nce officially should make makes the declaration f t Ith the loan loan received from from th the government o of never could be repaid and the state state- rn rhent nt refuting the utterance of the minister of o 4 e devastated regions undoubtedly will be re re- re- re d with pleasure by all patriotic Americans who possess a most kindly feeling for France Franc d which which has hs been evidenced by the citizens of o at nation for America during and ever since th the i Juggle gie for independence by this country What F France ance desires is o a nt length o of tim which which to get its head above the financial c r l T y l v r 19 I fl 1 r j J I maelstrom as s it were ver before being compelled 1 to begin the repayment of its American obligations obliga obliga- Although about five years have elapsed since the first direct government loan was as made to France there is no doubt that the commission commission commis commis- sion created by act of congress to arrange the funding of the allied debts will use its discretionary discretionary discretionary powers in a manner that will meet the immediate needs not only of France but butof of the I various others of its allies who are debtors inthe in inthe I Ithe the aggregate to America to the extent of someI something some some- I thing more than 1 |